Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (55 page)

Presently, with a roll of drums, Wang P'ing and Chang I came out and made for the rear to cut the retreat. "Why do you not fight?" shouted Chang Ho when he saw their move.

The men of Wei dashed this way and that, but were stayed at every attempt. Then there was heard another roll of drums, and Ssuma came up in the rear. He at once signalled to his captains to surround Wang P'ing and Chang I.

"Our minister is truly wonderful. The battle goes just as he foretold," cried Chang I. "He will surely send help now, and we will fight to the death."

Thereupon the men were divided into parties. Wang P'ing led one army to hold up Chang Ho and Tai Ling; Chang I led the other division to oppose Ssuma. On both sides the fighting was keen and continued all the day.

From their station on a hill, Chiang Wei and Miao Hua watched the battle. They saw that the Wei force was very strong and their side was in danger and slowly giving way.

"Now surely is the moment to open the bag," said Chiang Wei.

So the bag was opened, and they read the letter. It said that if Ssuma came and Wang P'ing and Chang I seemed hard pressed, they were to divide forces and go off to attack Ssuma's camp, which would cause him to retire, and then they could attack him. The actual capture of the camp was not of great moment.

So they divided the force and started for the enemy's camp. Now Ssuma had really feared that he would fall victim to some ruse of K'ung-ming, so he had arranged for news to meet him at intervals along the road. He was pressing his men to fight when a messenger galloped up to say that the men of Shu were making for his camp.

Ssuma was frightened and changed colour. He turned on his captains, saying, "I knew K'ung-ming would plan some trick, but you did not believe me. You forced me to pursue, and now the whole scheme has gone agley."

Thereupon he gathered in his men and turned to retire. The men went hurriedly and got into disorder. Chang I came up behind, and they were routed. Chang Ho and Tai Ling, having but few men left, sought refuge among the hills. The victory was to Shu, and Kuan Hsing came up helping in the rout wherever there appeared a chance to strike.

Ssuma, defeated, hurried to the camp. But when he reached it the men of Shu had already left. He gathered in his broken army and abused his captains as the cause of his failure.

"You are all ignorant of the proper way to wage war, and think it simply a matter of valour and rude strength. This is the result of your unbridled desire to go out and give battle. For the future no one of you will move without definite orders, and I will apply strict military law to any who disobey."

They were all greatly ashamed and retired to their quarters. In this fight the losses of Wei were very heavy, not only in men, but in horses and weapons.

K'ung-ming led his victorious army to their camp. He intended to advance still farther, when a messenger arrived from the capital with the sad news that Chang Pao had died. When they told K'ung-ming he uttered a great cry, blood gushed from his mouth and he fell in a swoon. He was raised and taken to his tent, but he was too ill to march and had to keep his bed. His captains were much grieved.

A later poet sang:—

Fierce and valiant was Chang Pao,
Striving hard to make a name,
Sad the gods should interfere
And withhold a hero's fame!
K'ung-ming wept his end untimely,
For he knew a warrior gone,
And he needed every helper;
His own strength was nearly done.

K'ung-ming's illness continued. Ten days later he summoned to his tent Tung Chueh and Fan Chien, and said, "I feel dizzy and am too ill to carry on, and the best thing for me is to return into HanChung and get well. You are to keep my absence perfectly secret, for Ssuma will certainly attack if he hears."

He issued orders to break up the camp that night, and the army retired into HanChung forthwith. Ssuma only heard of it five days later, and he knew that again he had been out-witted.

"The man appears like a god and disappears like a demon; he is too much for me," sighed he.

Ssuma set certain captains over the camp and placed others to guard the commanding positions, and he also marched homeward.

As soon as the Shu army was settled in HanChung, K'ung-ming went to Ch'engtu for treatment. The officials of all ranks came to greet him and escort him to his palace. The king also came to enquire after his condition and sent his own physicians to treat him. So gradually he recovered.

In
Cbien-Hsing
, eighth year and seventh month, Ts'ao Chen, the Commander-in-chief in Wei, had recovered, and he sent a memorial to his master, saying, "Shu has invaded more than once and threatened the capital. If this state be not destroyed it will ultimately be our ruin. The autumn coolth is now here. The army is in good form, and it is the time most favourable for an attack on Shu. I desire to take Ssuma as colleague and march into HanChung to exterminate this wretched horde and free the borders from trouble."

Personally, King Jui approved, but he consulted Liu Hua, who replied, "The Commander-in-chief speaks well. If that state be not destroyed it will be to our hurt. Your Majesty should give effect to his desire."

When he came out, a crowd of officers flocked to enquire, saying, "We heard the king has consulted you about an expedition against Shu: what think you?"

"No such thing," said Liu. "Shu is too difficult a country to invade, it would be a mere waste of men and weapons."

They left him. Then Yang Chi went into the king and said, "It is said that yesterday Liu Hua advised Your Majesty to fall upon Shu; today when we talked with him he said Shu could not be attacked. This is treating Your Majesty with indignity, and you should issue a command to punish him."

Wherefore the king called in Liu Hua and asked him to explain.

Liu Hua replied, "I have studied the details; Shu cannot be attacked."

The king laughed. In a short time Yang Chi left, and then Liu Hua said, "Yesterday I advised Your Majesty to attack Shu; that being a matter of state policy should be divulged to no person. The essential of a military move is secrecy."

Then the king understood, and thereafter Liu Hua was held in greater consideration. Ten days later Ssuma came to court, and Ts'ao Chen's memorial was shown him.

Ssuma replied, "The moment is opportune; I do not think there is any danger from Wu."

Ts'ao Chen was created Minister of War and Commander-in-chief of the Western Expedition, and Ssuma I was made General and was second in command. Liu Hua was made Master of the Army. These three then left the court, and the army marched to Ch'angan, intending to dash to Chienko and attack HanChung.

The men of HanChung told K'ung-ming, then quite recovered and engaged in training his army and elaborating the "Eight Arrays." All was in an efficient state and ready for an attack on the capital.

When he heard of the intended attack, he called up Chang I and Wang P'ing and sent them to garrison the old road to Ch'ents'ang so as to check the Wei army. The two replied, "It is said the Wei army numbers forty legions, though they pretend to have eighty legions. But they are very numerous, and a thousand men is a very small force to meet them."

K'ung-ming replied, "I would give you more, but I fear to make it hard for the soldiers."

The two captains stood looking at each other, not daring to undertake such a task with such a force.

"If there be a failure I shall not hold you responsible," said K'ung-ming. "Do not say any more, but get off quickly."

The two officers pleaded with him, saying that if he desired to kill them he had better do it, but they dared not go.

K'ung-ming laughed. "How silly you are.'" said he. "If I send you, you may be sure there is a meaning in it. I observed the stars yesterday, and I see there will be a tremendous rain this month. The army of Wei may consist of any number of legions, but they will be unable to penetrate into a mountainous country. So there is no need to send a large force. You will come to no harm, and I shall lead the main body into HanChung and rest for a month while the enemy retreats. Then I shall smite them. My army will be able to account for their four times as many."

This satisfied them, and they left, while the main body went out toward HanChung. Moreover, every station was ordered to lay in a stock of wood and straw and grain enough for a whole month's use, ready against the autumn rains. A month's holiday was given, and food and clothing were issued in advance. The expedition was postponed for the present.

When Ts'ao Chen and Ssuma I approached Ch'ents'ang and entered the city, they could not find a single house. They questioned some of the people near, who said that K'ung-ming had burned everything before he left. Then Ts'ao proposed to advance along the road, but Ssuma opposed, saying that the stars foretold much rain.

"If we get deep in a difficult country and are always victorious it is all very well. But if we lose, we shall not get out again. Better remain in this city and build what shelter we can against the rain."

Ts'ao Chen followed his advice. In the middle of the month the rain began, and came down in a deluge so that the surrounding country was three feet under water. The equipment of the men was soaked, and the men themselves could get no place to sleep. For a whole month the rain continued. The horses could not be fed, and the men grumbled incessantly. They sent to Loyang, and the king himself prayed for fine weather, but with no effect.

An officer, Wang Su, sent up a memorial:— "The histories say that when supplies have to be conveyed a long distance the soldiers are starved; if they have to gather brushwood before they can cook then the army is not full fed. This applies to ordinary expeditions in an ordinary country. If, in addition, the army has to march through a difficult country and roads have to be cut, the labour is doubled. Now this expedition is hindered by rain and steep and slippery hills; movement is cramped and supplies can only be maintained with difficulty. All is most unpropitious to the army.

"Ts'ao Chen has been gone over a month and has only got half through the valley. Road making is monopolising all energies, and the fighting men have to work on them. The state of affairs is the opposite to ideal, and the fighting men dislike it. I may quote certain parallels. King Wu attacked Chou; he went through the pass, but returned. In recent times your father and grandfather, attacking Sun Ch'uan, reached the river, and went no farther. Did they not recognise limitations and act accordingly? I pray Your Majesty to remember the grave difficulties caused by the rain and put an end to this expedition. By and by another occasion will arise for using men, and in the joy of overcoming difficulties the people will forget death."

The king could not make up his mind, but two other memorials followed, and then he issued the command to return, which was sent to the two generals. They had already discussed the abandonment of the expedition. Ts'ao Chen had said, "We have had rain for a whole month, and the men are downhearted and think only of getting home again. How can we stop them?"

Ssuma replied, "Return is best."

"If K'ung-ming pursue, how shall we repulse him?"

"We can leave an ambush."

While they were discussing this matter the king's command arrived. Whereupon they faced about and marched homeward.

Now K'ung-ming had reckoned upon this month of rain and so had had his men camped in a safe place. Then he ordered the main army to assemble at Ch'ihp'i and camp there. He summoned his officers to his tent and said, "In my opinion the enemy must retire, for the king will issue such an order. To pursue needs preparation, and so we will let them retire without molestation. Some other plan must be evolved."

So when Wang P'ing sent news of the retreat of the enemy the messenger carried back the order not to pursue.

It is only lost labour to cover retreat
When your enemy does not pursue.

By what means K'ung-ming intended to defeat Wei will be told in the next chapter.

CHAPTER C
THE HAN SOLDIERS RAID A CAMP AND
DEFEAT TS'AO CHEN: CHUKO, IN FRONT OF
THE ARRAY, SHAMES SSUMA

W
hen
the officers got to know that the Wei army had gone but they were not to pursue, they were inclined to discontent and went in a body to the general's tent and said, "The rain has driven the enemy away; surely it is the moment to pursue."

K'ung-ming replied, "Ssuma I is an able leader who would not retreat without leaving an ambush to cover it. If we pursue we shall fall victims. Let him go in peace, and I shall then get through Hsieh Valley and take Ch'ishan, making use of the enemy's lack of defence."

"But there are other ways of taking Ch'angan," said they; "why only take this one?"

"Because Ch'ishan is the first step to Ch'angan, and I want to gain the advantage of position. Any attack on Shensi must come this way. It rests on the rivers Wei and Pin in front and is backed by Hsieh Valley. It gives the greatest freedom of movement and is a natural manoeuvring ground. That is why I want it."

They bowed to his wisdom. Then he despatched four captains for Chi Valley and four others for Hsieh Valley, all to meet at Ch'ishan. He led the main army himself, with Kuan Hsing and Miao Hua in the van.

When the Wei army retreated, the Commander-in-chief and his second remained in the rear superintending the movement. They sent a reconnoitring party along the old road to Ch'ents'ang, and they returned saying no enemy was to be seen. Ten days later the leaders, who had commanded in the ambush, joined the main body saying that they had seen no sign of the enemy.

Ts'ao Chen said, "This continuous autumn rain has rendered all the ways impassable; how could the men of Shu know of our retreat?"

"They will appear later," said Ssuma.

"How can you know?"

"These late five days they have not pursued because they think we shall have left a rear-guard in ambush. Therefore they have let us get well away. But after we have gone they will occupy Ch'ishan."

Ts'ao Chen was not convinced.

"Why do you doubt?" asked Ssuma. "I think K'ung-ming will certainly advance by way of the two valleys, and you and I should guard the entrances. I give them ten days, and if they do not appear, I will come to your camp, painted and powdered and dressed as a woman to own my mistake."

"If the men of Shu do appear I will give you the girdle and the steed that the king gave me," replied Ts'ao.

But they split their force, Ts'ao Chen taking up his station on the west of Ch'ishan in the Hsieh Valley, and Ssuma going to the east in the Chi Valley.

As soon as the camp was settled, Ssuma I led a cohort into hiding in the valley. The remainder of the force was placed in detachments on the chief roads.

Ssuma disguised himself and went among the soldiers to get a private survey of all the camps. In one of them he happened upon a junior officer who was complaining, saying, "The rain has drenched us for days and they would not retire. Now they have camped here for a wager. They have no pity for us or the men."

Ssuma returned to his tent and assembled his officers. Hauling out the grumbler, he said to him, angrily, "The state maintains soldiers a thousand days for one hour's service. How dare you give vent to your spleen to the detriment of discipline?"

The man would not confess, so his comrades were called to bear witness. Still he would not own up.

"I am not here for a wager, but to overcome Shu," said Ssuma. "Now you all have done well and are going home, but only this fellow complains and is guilty of mutinous conduct."

He ordered the lictors to put him to death, and in a short time they produced his head. The others were terrified, but Ssuma said, "All you must do your utmost to guard against the enemy. When you hear a bomb explode rush out on all sides and attack."

With this order they retired.

Now Wei Yen and his three comrades, with two legions entered the Chi Valley. As they were marching, the Assistant Adviser Teng Chih came.

"I bear an order from the minister. As you go out of the valley beware of the enemy," said he.

Ch'en Shih said, "Why is the minister so full of doubts? We know the men of Wei have suffered severely from the rain and must hasten home. They will not lay any ambush. We are doing double marches and shall gain a great victory. Why are we to delay?"

Teng Chih replied, "You know the minister's plans always succeed. How dare you disobey his orders?"

Ch'en Shih smiled, saying, "If he was really so resourceful we should not have lost Chieht'ing."

Wei Yen, recalling that K'ung-ming had rejected his plan, also laughed, and said, "If he had listened to me and gone out through Tzuwu Valley, not only Ch'angan but Loyang too would be ours. Now he is bent on taking Ch'ishan; what is the good of it? He gave us the order to advance and now he stops us. Truly the orders are confusing."

Then said Ch'en Shih, "I will tell you what I will do. I shall take my men, get through the valley and camp at Ch'ishan. Then you will see how ashamed the minister will look."

Teng Chih argued and persuaded, but to no avail; the wilful leader hurried on to get out of the valley. Teng could only return as quickly as possible and report.

Ch'en Shih proceeded. He had not gone far when he heard a bomb, and he was in an ambush. He tried to withdraw, but the valley was full of the enemy, and he was surrounded as in an iron cask. All his efforts to get out failed. Then there was a shout, and Wei Yen came to the rescue. He saved his comrade, but his half legion was reduced to about a half company, and these wounded. Two other divisions coming up prevented pursuit, and finally the men of Wei retired. The two who had criticised K'ung-ming's powers of prevision no longer doubted that he saw very clearly. They regretted their own shortsightedness.

When Teng Chih told his chief of the bad behaviour of Ch'en and Wei he only laughed. "That fellow Wei, has never been quite true; he has always been disposed to disobey and is unsteady. However, he is valiant, and so I have used him, but he will do real harm some day."

Then came a messenger with news of Ch'en's defeat and loss of men. K'ung-ming sent Teng Chih back again to console with him and so keep him from actual mutiny. Then he called to his tent Ma Tai and Wang P'ing, and said, "If there are any of the men of Wei in Hsieh Valley you are to go across the Yuehshan range, marching by night and concealing yourselves by day, and make for the east of Ch'ishan. When you arrive, make a fire as a signal. Ma Chung and Chang I were told to go in similar fashion to the west and join up with the other two. Then they were to make a joint attack on Ts'ao Chen's camp. The chief would also attack in the centre. Kuan Hsing and Miao Hua received secret orders, which are not recorded here.

The armies marched rapidly. Not long after starting, two other detachments led by Wu Pan and Wu I received secret orders and left the main body.

The doubts about the coming of the Shu army made Ts'ao Chen careless, and he allowed his men to become slack and rest. He only thought of getting through the allotted ten days, when he would have the laugh against his colleague. Seven of the days had passed, when a scout reported a few odd men of Shu in the valley. Ts'ao sent to reconnoitre and keep them at a distance. Ch'in Liang was in command, and he led his men to the entrance of the valley. As soon as he arrived the enemy retired. Ch'in Liang went after them, but they had disappeared. He was perplexed and puzzled, and while trying to decide, he told the men to dismount and rest.

But almost immediately he heard a shout, and ambushed men appeared in front of him. He jumped on his horse to look about him, and saw a great cloud of dust rising among the hills. He disposed his men for defence, but the shouting quickly came nearer, and then Wu Pan and Wu I appeared advancing towards him. Retreat was impossible, as the hills were on both sides, and from the hill-tops came shouts of "Dismount and yield!"

More than half did surrender. Ch'in Liang was killed K'ung-ming put the men who had come over to his side in one of the rear divisions. With their dress and arms he disguised half a legion of his own men so that they looked like his enemies, and then he sent this division, under four trusty leaders, to raid Ts'ao Chen's camp. Before they reached the camp they sent one of their number ahead as a galloper to tell Ts'ao Chen that there had been only a few men of Shu and they had all been chased out of sight, and so lull him into security.

This news satisfied Ts'ao Chen. But just then a trusty messenger from Ssuma came with a message, "Our men have fallen into an ambush and many have been killed. Do not think any more about the wager: that is cancelled. But take most careful precautions."

"But there is not a single man of Shu near," said Ts'ao Chen.

He told the messenger to go back. Just then they told him Ch'in Liang's men had returned, and he went out to meet them. Just as he got near, someone remarked that some torches had flared up in the rear of his camp. He hastened thither to see. As soon as he was out of sight the four leaders waved on their men and dashed up to the camp. At the same time Ma Tai and Wang P'ing came up behind and two other troops came out.

The men of Wei were trapped and helpless; they scattered and fled for life. His officers got Ts'ao Chen away to the eastward. The enemy chased them. As Ts'ao fled there arose a great shouting, and up came a troop at full speed. Ts'ao thought all was lost, and his heart sank, but it was Ssuma, who drove off the pursuers.

Though Ts'ao was saved he was almost too ashamed to show his face. Then said Ssuma, "Chuko Liang has seized Ch'ishan and we cannot remain here; let us go to Weipin, whence we may try to recover our lost ground."

"How did you know I was in danger of defeat?" asked Ts'ao Chen.

"My messenger told me what you had said, and I knew K'ung-ming would try to seize your camp. So I came to your help. The enemy's plan succeeded, but we will say no more about that wager. We must both do our best for the country."

But the fright and excitement made Ts'ao Chen ill, and he took to his bed. And while the men were In such a state of disorder Ssuma was afraid to advise a return. They camped at Weipin.

After this adventure K'ung-ming hastened back to Ch'ishan. After the soldiers had been feasted and services recognised, the four discontented leaders, headed by Wei Yen, came to the tent to apologise.

"Who caused the loss?" said K'ung-ming.

Wei Yen said, "Ch'en Shih disobeyed orders and rushed into they valley."

"Wei Yen told me to," said Ch'en.

"Would you still try to drag him down after he rescued you?" said K'ung-ming. "However, when orders have been disobeyed it is useless to try and gloze it over."

He sentenced Ch'en to death, and he was led away. Soon they brought his head into the presence of the assembled captains. Wei Yen was spared as there was yet work or him to accomplish.

After this, K'ung-ming prepared to advance. The scouts reported that Ts'ao Chen was ill, but was being treated by doctors in his tent. The news pleased K'ung-ming, and he said to his officers, "If he dies they will surely return to Ch'angan. They must be delayed by his sickness. He stays on so that his men may not lose heart. Now I will write him such a letter that he will die."

Then he called up the men of Wei who had yielded, and said to them, "You are Wei men and your families are all over there: it is wrong for you to serve me. Suppose I let you go home?"

They thanked him, falling prostrate and weeping. Then K'ung-ming continued, "Friend Ts'ao and I have a compact, and I have a letter for him which you shall take. The bearer will be well rewarded."

They received the letter and ran home to their own tents, where they gave their general the letter. Ts'ao Chen was too ill to rise, but he opened the cover and read:—"The Prime Minister of Han, Chuko Liang, to the Minister of War, Ts'ao Tzu-tan:

"You will permit me to say that a leader of an army should be able to go and come, to be facile and obdurate, to advance and retire, to show himself weak or strong, to be immovable as mountains, to be inscrutable as the operations of nature, to be infinite as the universe, to be everlasting as the blue void, to be vast as the ocean, to be dazzling as the lights of heaven, to foresee droughts and floods, to know the nature of the ground, to understand the possibilities of battle arrays, to conjecture the excellences and defects of the enemy.

"Alas! one of your sort, ignorant and inferior, rising impudently in heaven's vault, has had the presumption to assist a rebel to assume the imperial style and state at Loyang, to send some miserable soldiers into Hsiehku. There they happened upon drenching rain. The difficult roads wearied both men and horses, driving them frantic. Weapons and armour littered the countryside, swords and spears covered the ground. You, the Commander-in-chief, were heart-broken and cowed, your captains fled like rats. You dare not show your faces at home, nor can you enter the halls of state. The historians' pens will record your—salaries; the people will recount your—infamies. Chung-ta (Ssuma I) is frightened when he hears of battle fronts, you are alarmed at mere rumours. My men are fierce and their steeds strong; my great captains are eager as tigers and majestic as dragons. I shall sweep Ts'inchuan bare and make Wei desolate."

Ts'ao Chen's wrath rose as he read; at the end it filled his breast. He died that evening. His colleague sent his coffin to Loyang on a waggon.